Perhaps insurgents feared reprisals. Maybe the death of terror leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi disrupted a chain of command that ordered the attacks, military officials said.

Whatever the cause, U.S. forces welcome the change.

"I just hope that it lasts long enough where people start realizing, 'Damn, we're making money. We could be rich like Kuwaitis,'" said Lt. Col. Craig Collier, deputy commander of the 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. "But what is really going on? We don't know."

In the past three weeks, Iraq has exported 6.2 million barrels of crude to Turkey. Total exports in that period, including the fields in the south, have increased to 2.5 million barrels per day, the highest level since the 2003 invasion, the Oil Ministry reported.

With a going market price of $60 a barrel in Turkey, military officials believe exports so far equate to about $372 million since oil began flowing from the north. Oil is the biggest source of income for the Iraqi government, which is struggling to curb violence and restore the supply of electricity and water.

Working with other coalition and Iraqi soldiers, U.S. soldiers targeted smugglers who they believe are behind many of the attacks on the fuel export lines. Black market truckers buy gasoline or diesel at subsidized prices and sell it in Turkey for 10 times the amount, so official exports cut into their profits.

The timing was so perfect that the military suspected an insider directed the strikes.

Ties to the insurgency also were suspected.

Iraq has the capacity to ship a half-million barrels a day from its northern oil, so disabling the pipeline with bullets or bombs makes a major dent in revenue to the cash-starved Iraqi government.

Insurgents also could be profiting directly with a share of black market revenue, military officials said.

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